Reward Offered for Information in California Horse Shooting Case

Michael and Marianne Rountree, the owners of a pair of tobiano Paint horses found shot and killed in their pasture, are offering a $20,000 reward to anyone with information leading to the capture of the horses' assailant. The couple discovered their horses, Lucky and Choctaw, dead in the pasture at their ranch on Collier Canyon Road in Livermore, Calif., on Oct. 22. The horses appeared to have been shot with a .22-caliber rifle. Lucky was shot twice in the abdomen, while Choctaw had a gunshot wound to his heart.

Choctaw, one of the horses found shot in the Rountree's Livermore, Calif., pasture, was a frequent feature in Rose Bowl parades.

The Rountrees began the reward fund with $5,000 on the day the horses were discovered dead, Michael Rountree said. Since then, public donations continue to increase the reward.

"I'm overwhelmed by the public's response," he said. "This is a significant amount of money. It should convince someone to come forward."

Contra Costa Sheriff's Department Director of Public Affairs Jimmy Lee was unavailable to comment on the ongoing investigation.

Choctaw had frequently appeared Rose Bowl Parades, as well as at special events on behalf of Hoofprints on the Heart Adaptive Riding Center for special needs children in Livermore. Lucky, acquired from a rescue last February, visited children in Shriners Hospital burn units.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department at 925/313-2654. Visit Hotharc.com to contribute to the reward fund.

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